


Marry Me?

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: Gratsu [26]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Love, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Realization
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-25 14:04:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16662339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: The ring has been hidden for a month already, and he had everything planned out, but sometimes plans just need to be tossed aside





	Marry Me?

   Gray grumbled to himself as he glanced across at the alarm clock, his scowl deepening as he realised it had only just gone past five in the morning, cursing his luck for waking so early on a day when they had nothing more planned than hanging around in the guild. The worst thing was that he knew that there was no way he was going to be able to get back to sleep now, and with that thought in mind he rolled over to glare darkly at Natsu who was still snoring away contentedly beside him. He couldn’t even blame the Dragon-slayer for waking him with his snores either, as the Ice mage had long since become immune to the noise.

   Part of him was tempted to be childish and wake the Dragon-slayer up so that they could suffer the early morning together but he hesitated remembering that Natsu had been up ridiculously late the night before helping Mira do a stock inventory. Sighing in defeat as he realised that there was no way he could be cruel enough to wake Natsu now. Grumpily he rolled onto his back and glowered up at the ceiling, contemplating whether he should just get up and start his day now rather than hanging around pointlessly in bed. The only problem being that Natsu was here in the bed, and the Ice mage was somewhat reluctant to abandon him even if he wasn’t much company snoring his head off like that.

   The choice was taken out of his hand a moment later though, as Natsu mumbling something under his breath had rolled over and instinctively sought him out, a warm arm snaking across his midriff as the Dragon-slayer snuggled up next to him burying his face into Gray’s shoulder with a contented noise. Testing just how trapped he was Gray cautiously tried to roll onto his side, freezing as the Dragon-slayer let out a sleepy whine, unconsciously tightening his hold as he tried to stop Gray from escaping. Letting out a huff that was part amusement and part defeat Gray rolled back over, this time shifting so that they were lying face to face, with Natsu’s arm tightening around him again at the new movement.

“Geez, what do I look like a teddy bear?” He muttered softly, even as he wrapped his own arms around Natsu pulling the Dragon-slayer closer. It always amused him how much the Dragonslayer enjoyed cuddling, although he wasn’t sure why as Natsu had always been an incredibly tactile person. Apart from when he’d first joined the guild, but Gray had always attributed that to the fact that the Dragon-slayer had needed time to adapt to living with humans again.

   His expression darkened slightly as his thoughts drifted to Igneel. He had promised Natsu the night he gave him the promise ring that he would one day ask the Dragon for permission to court him, but in all honesty, he was beginning to doubt that they would ever be able to find the elusive Fire Dragon. Worse he knew that Natsu might be starting to feel that way as well even if didn’t say anything. He had never dared say anything, but as they became closer and closer, he found himself actually hating the Dragon for leaving Natsu. For tearing a hole in Natsu’s heart that as hard as he tried Gray knew he would never be able to fill.

   He could see it every seventh of July, or every time they came across something new that was related even remotely to Dragons or Dragon-slayers, and it wasn’t just Natsu. He knew that Wendy and Gajeel had the same pain, and while he didn’t know Sting and Rogue as well and he was aware that their situation was slightly different he was sure that he would find the same shadows in their eyes when the topic turned to their adoptive parents. Gritting his teeth, he reached down and gently grasped Natsu’s hand, his finger gently rubbing over the top of the ring, feeling the bit of his magic within it responding to his touch and his expression softened slightly. Natsu had never once taken the ring off since the night he had given it to him, and even after all this time he would often catch the Dragon-slayer staring at it in disbelief and joy. He might not be able to fill the hole Igneel had caused, but maybe, just maybe he didn’t need to.

   For several long minutes he studied Natsu with a pensive expression, his eyes soft as he took in the contented expression on the Dragon-slayer’s face. There was no sign of that pain to be seen, the lines caused by recent events smoothed out in sleep and found himself yet again marvelling that out of everyone it had been him that Natsu had wanted as a mate. He knew that too some extent that it had been out of Natsu’s hands because of the nature of his magic, but his old uncertainties about that had long since faded. He knew Natsu well enough to know that the Dragon-slayer would have fought tooth and nail against their bond if it hadn’t been something he truly wanted, and Natsu had shown him every day since then that he wanted Gray in his life.

   Still at times, Gray found it difficult to believe how far they had come from the constantly bickering children that had caused havoc in the guild when they were younger. Back then he hadn’t even been able to envisage becoming teammates with Natsu, let alone friends and now mates, and if anyone had suggested it, he would have laughed in their faces. Yet somewhere along the way that had changed. He knew that Galuna Island had definitely been the defining moment when he realised just what Natsu meant to him, and he clutched the Fire mage even tighter just at the memory of that fight, and for a moment he buried his face against Natsu. If Ur’s spell hadn’t worked, he would have lost the Fire mage before he even got chance to act on those feelings…

   Yes, the battle against Deliora had given him the clarity to realise his feelings, but he couldn’t pinpoint the moment when they had begun to change. Had it been when Erza press-ganged them into teaming up? Or when he had come across Natsu and Lucy in the woods. He could remember feeling vaguely jealous when he realised how close the pair had become despite the short amount of time they had known one another or had it been before that? Sighing he pulled back, realising that he wasn’t getting anywhere with this train of thought and deciding that ultimately it didn’t matter. All that really mattered was the fact that at some point feelings had changed, and that along with all the events that had happened since then they had ended up at this point.

   Biting his lip in thought he studied Natsu for another moment before slowly sitting up, gently resting his hand in the Dragon-slayer’s hair to soothe him when he sleepily protested the movement, and with a low grumble Natsu settled down once more. Shaking his head fondly he brushed his fingers through pink hair for another moment before carefully reaching over the Dragon-slayer to get to the bedside table, quietly easing the drawer open just enough to reach inside and pull out the small box that he had hidden in there nearly a month ago. Wrapping his fingers around it he sat back, holding it in his lap for a long moment as he stared nervously at it. He had intended on waiting until the Hanami festival in a few weeks, but now he found himself unwilling to wait even that long.

   Gripping the box tightly be wiggled back down until he was lying down facing Natsu once more, grinning slightly as the Dragon-slayer immediately latched onto him once more. For a long moment, he lay there gathering his courage and just staring at Natsu with wide eyes before finally he forced himself to move, leaning forward to gently kiss Natsu. It didn’t take long for Natsu to begin to stir, already responding to the kiss before he’d managed to force his eyes open, a sleepy but appreciative noise escaping when he pulled back a moment later before his eyes finally opened and he blinked sleepily at Gray.

“Mmm Gray?” He mumbled as his eyes settled on the Ice mage, bringing one hand up to rub at his eyes, yawning widely for a moment before glancing curiously up at Gray who had lifted himself slightly so that he was looking down at the Dragon-slayer with an oddly intense expression on his face.

“Marry me!” Gray blurted out his nerves suddenly getting the better of him, and he winced as he realised how blunt it had come out. Nothing like the scenarios he had imagined in his head since he first set eyes on the ring, and he was cursing up a storm in his head, wishing that he had just waited till the festival like he’d planned when a warm hand came up to rest on his cheek drawing him out of his panic.

“Did you just…?” Natsu trailed off, frightened to finish the question in case what he thought he’d just heard really was just a figment of his half-awake mind and somehow seeing the same nervous apprehension in the olive eyes locked on him was enough to bolster Gray’s courage. Clearing his throat he straightened, turning to Natsu properly even as he slowly opened the box that he had been clinging to for the past few minutes.

“Will you marry me?” He repeated the question in a softer tone, his hands trembling slightly as he held out the box, desperately praying that Natsu would agree. Unsure of what he was going to do if the Fire mage turned him down. He knew that it would always happen one day, but he didn’t want to wait any longer. Especially not if they were just holding out for something or someone that might never reappear, but he had no way of knowing if Natsu would feel the same way. Gray swallowed hard as he realised that Natsu was just sat there staring at him with wide eyes, a stunned expression written across his face, which would have been amusing if he wasn’t waiting desperately for an answer. “Na…”

“Yes,” it was barely even a whisper, and yet in the silence, it felt like a deafening shout, and yet it still took a moment for Natsu’s response to register and for a few seconds all Gray could do was gape at the Dragon-slayer who was smiling softly up at him.

“Yes?”

“Yes!” Natsu repeated emphatically, and Gray’s eyes widened, even as he felt himself welling up, and before he could think about what he was doing, he had tackled the Dragon-slayer. Pulling Natsu into a tight hug, he alternated before laughing with a mix of relief and joy and muttering almost desperate thanks as he peppered kisses all over Natsu’s face. Unable to believe that this wild dragon had truly agreed to be his and with a final choked laugh he kissed the Dragonslayer heatedly on the lips for a long moment before forcing himself to pull back, grinning wildly as he glanced down at the dazed-looking Natsu.

   There was no tremble in his fingers as he carefully took the ring out of the box, meeting warm olive eyes for a moment before tenderly slipping it onto Natsu’s finger just above their promise ring, gently squeezing the warm fingers before releasing Natsu’s hand. Blinking back tears of his own Natsu slowly raised his hand to study the new ring, his smile growing as he admired the simple silver band with a small ruby and sapphire set in the middle. Sniffling slightly he brushed his finger lightly across the stones before turning his gaze back to Gray, blushing as he took in the loving look he was being given, and he ducked his head slightly.

“It’s beautiful,” he whispered before reaching up to kiss Gray firmly, desperately trying to convey everything he was feeling through that one kiss and from the way that the Ice mage’s hands reached up to tighten on his shoulders he knew that his feelings had got through. Pulling back he smiled up at Gray, feeling completely an utterly content as he added softly. “I love you, so much...”

“I love you too,” Gray replied, fairly certain that he wouldn’t be able to stop grinning for the next few months and he couldn’t wait to share the news with the rest of their family. He hadn’t mentioned his plans to anyone, not trusting them not to let something slip even if he knew that Natsu would probably miss any such hints, but now he wanted to shout it to the world.

NATSU IS MINE!!!

****

Omake:

   It took a little while for them to calm down again, but eventually, they wound up curled tightly around one another once more with Natsu’s head nestled against Gray’s chest where he could listen contentedly to the Ice mage’s steady heartbeat and their hands tangled together. They had been lying there in contented silence for several minutes when Natsu shifted slightly, before quietly speaking up, and Gray’s eyes narrowed slightly as he caught the mischief in his mate’s voice.

“I do have one question.”

“What is it?” Gray asked warily, his suspicion growing when Natsu chuckled softly before shifting so that he could meet his gaze, and he swallowed as he caught the mischievous glint in the olive eyes as Natsu studied him for a moment before continuing.

“Did you have to ask me at six o’clock in the morning?”


End file.
